DURHAM Cathedral has been named among the country’s top 20 free visitor attractions.

The 900-year-old Norman shrine was listed 19th in the Visit England UK top 20 – the only North-East attraction to be included.

The British Museum and the National Gallery took the top two spots.

The list is based on visitor numbers and the cathedral’s annual total has risen by nearly a fifth in the last year.

Ruth Robson, Durham Cathedral’s head of marketing and events, said: “It’s wonderful to see Durham Cathedral ranking so highly among some of our country’s most popular attractions.

“Our submitted visitor numbers do not include anyone attending services or special events such as Lumiere, which attracted 175,000 to the city over four days, so we are thrilled to be doing so well.”